1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and product for mitigating or eliminating pet malodors, particularly those which arise from feline urine. The method provides for the contacting of the malodor(s) with an aqueous liquid deodorizing composition, the composition containing about at least 0.01% to about 10% of an alkali metal tetraborate n-hydrate (with n being an integer from 0 to 10), 0.1–3% water soluble/dispersible polymer, 1–25% water soluble/dispersible volatile solvent, at least 75% water and various aesthetic and functional additives.
2. Brief Statement of the Related Art
One of the most common and distressing household odors is caused by pets, such as cats, who must void or eliminate in the home in discrete areas, such as litter boxes or other containment devices. However, since replacement or replenishment of the litter box is left to individual discretion, some home environments may succumb to a perceived higher level of malodor than others. Additionally, the individual pet may, depending on its health and the amount of water and/or feed it intakes, produce more liquid and solid wastes than others. Further, some pets because of instinctive need or other such motivation, “mark” or spray surfaces outside of the litter box, perhaps as a means of establishing territory or some other behavioral idiosyncracy. In all such events, there is thus a need for a deodorizer or malodor mitigator which is specially formulated to deal with these particular malodors.
Stanislowski et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,655 (of common assignment and incorporated herein by reference), discloses and claims an animal waste deodorizer comprising a mixture of pine oil and a borate-based compound selected from polyborate, borax and a boric acid/borax mixture, carried in a liquid dispersion. Stanislowski, however, does not teach, disclose or suggest the presence of a water soluble/dispersible polymer in its deodorizer.
On the other hand, there are many references to animal litters which are pretreated with boron-containing compounds, especially boric acid, which have been identified as effective additives. These are discussed in, for example, Ratcliff et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,949,672 and 5,094,190, Jenkins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,108, and Stanislowski et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,018,482, 5,135,743 and 5,183,655, all of which are of common assignment and incorporated herein by reference thereto. Of course, these types of litters cannot suppress malodors indefinitely. Moreover, even the best animal litter cannot guarantee that the household pet, especially the domesticated feline, will be adequately trained to use the litter box or other containment means, will be sufficiently accurate in its private duties to make sure that its wastes are retained in the litter box, or will not be behaviorally motivated to mark or spray other surfaces in the household.
There are presently some liquid household malodor counteractants, such as aerosols and spray-dispensed liquid compositions. None, however, appear to disclose, teach or suggest that borax in a liquid deodorizing composition is especially effective at mitigating or eliminating pet malodors, particularly those which arise from feline urine.